For Second Generation McDonald’s Owner Stephanie Bishop, There’s Nothing Better Than Being a Part of a Brand She Loves
It’s All in the Family
In front: Stephanie Bishop (r) and her brother Michael Moreland in the early years
Stephanie grew up W. Frankfort, Illinois, and her parents opened their first McDonald’s there 40 years ago. “Mom had us do miscellaneous things at the restaurant from an early age.” Stephanie’s parents were involved with the community and schools in the area and were “truly happy with what they were doing.”
When Stephanie turned 17, she told her parents she wanted to work at one of the restaurants. Not wanting to work in the same town she grew up in, Stephanie started a crew position in a town close by. “They had me start 5 days a week from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. my first summer; little did I know what a great start to my career that was!”
“I went through the training process and the other workers took me in. I started on the breakfast grill. I was shy and timid at first, then I gained some confidence and moved to shift management.”
Since her parents were ‘Mr. and Mrs. McDonald’s,’ Stephanie moved to Arizona at age 18 to “get away” for a bit. She took college classes in hotel and restaurant management and came back to Illinois after two years. Why? After taking classes in restaurant/hotel business, Stephanie knew could come back and navigate her way for free.
Something turned in Stephanie’s life back in 2005, after she met Shane Bishop. Five years later, she and Shane got married, they had a son, and “life changes when you have a child. I walked into that store and never looked back.” It was “time to grow up and have a purpose.” Stephanie decided right then to accept responsibility toward her teams, and she wanted to make a difference.
With two sons and two stepsons, family time is very important to Stephanie. She still has a date night with her husband, either once a week or twice a month.
“When you love what you’re doing, you find your purpose and passion. It’s really helped me in those areas. It makes me feel great.”
How did she do it?
“I had wonderful mentors from the McDonald’s Corporation that supported me. They made me take every single step to be better, by learning operations, getting involved in the community, and handling the financial aspects of the business.”
The Bishop/Moreland Group is a 21-store organization, with stores owned by Stephanie and her husband, her siblings, and parents.
“McDonald’s is our life: it’s morning, noon, and night. It’s been fun, although sometimes it’s challenging, to make those healthy boundaries.”
Community Involvement
Stephanie at a McDonald’s parade
Stephanie is the first female voted in to be on the Bank of Herrin (Illinois) Board of Directors, a huge milestone for her. It has helped Stephanieon her journey to share valuable business experience with the Board from being an owner/operator.
Impacting Lives, One at a Time
A few years ago, Stephanie was working on the front counter at one of our locations. A lady came into the restaurant who had a deep Southern accent. She had just moved to town from out of state. After the woman got her order, “I went over and introduced myself. I mentioned if she had any questions about the area, to please call me. I gave her my card and she responded, “I have a young man who’s going to the high school who’s 15. But when he’s 16, I want him to work for you.”
Sure enough, the young man came and interviewed got this first job at the store. He went into the military for several years, and when he came back, he called and wanted to stop by Stephanie’s house. “He came and told us about his experience in the military and my boys were fascinated by his stories. He said he was not pleased when his parents moved from his boyhood home when he was a teenager. He left all his friends behind. He said that McDonald’s became his second family. The training program gave him confidence. He came back to say thank you. I will never forget that.”
Why She Loves It
Stephanie and Shane Bishop
“Our goal at McDonald’s with all our workers is to give them a great experience, providing them the proper skills, and most of all, giving them confidence in their lives and career. Those are the things we’re trying to do.”
“There is nothing better than being a part of a brand I love, working with people in the restaurants and behind the scenes, having an impact on our communities and our employees, being a mom and showing my children a great work ethic and how to play and have fun!”